Pilfered Rembrandt etching recovered in Encino

MARINA DEL REY - "The Judgment," the Rembrandt quill etching valued at more than $250,000 and stolen over the weekend from a hotel in Marina del Rey, was recovered in a church-owned building in Encino, authorities said today.

An anonymous tip was received Monday evening by the watch commander at the sheriff's Marina del Rey Station concerning the whereabouts of the etching, which was stolen Saturday night from the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, said sheriff's Lt. Sonia Carroll.

In response, detectives went to St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, 17114 Ventura Blvd., and recovered the work. No arrests were made.

"The reason why that tip was called in to us was because they saw all the coverage," sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said at an early morning news conference at the Marina del Rey Station, where the recovered etching was displayed.

"They saw it, and then they remembered seeing this in a church in Encino," Whitmore said. "I can't talk about the church because that's part of the investigation. There are no arrests. Nobody is in custody. All we were told is, 'We think we know where this is.' (Detectives) responded at about 6:30 (or) 7 o'clock last night, and there it was."

Early this morning, an employee of the Linearis Institute verified the recovered etching was authentic, Whitmore said. The San Francisco-based institute, which owns the ink-and-pen drawing, was showing some of its collection at the Ritz-Carlton when the theft occurred.

The etching was stolen by a nimble-fingered thief while an apparent accomplice distracted the curator, who was running the exhibit, according to authorities.

Detectives were still searching for the thieves who masterminded the seemingly well-planned heist. They were checking security video and planned to look for fingerprints on the recovered etching, which had been displayed on an easel when it was taken.

The theft is believed to have occurred during a 15-minute window at the Saturday evening show, Whitmore said.

A hotel patron said there was an exhibit of famous artworks, including some by Pablo Picasso, for sale in a hallway. The Rembrandt etching was one of dozens of works sitting for sale on easels.

Anyone with information on the theft was urged to call the Marina del Rey station at 310-482-6000.